Browse Tag: Bing Image Matching

The barcode or product scanning service, Bing Vision, is now available for Windows Phone handsets such as the Nokia Lumia 800 and the HTC Titan in the UK. Initially available for Android and iOS devices, the service allows users to scan barcodes, which looks up information such as pricing and online availability.

Bing Vision also comes with text recognition, which will further assist you in getting more information about a product. Sadly, it’s not as effective as the application’s barcode scanner. Also included is a translator, which may be useful for translating non-English text, similar to Google Goggles.

To get the service, all you have to do is plug in your Windows Phone handset into your computer (Windows) and get Bing Vision via Zune. If you have a Mac, you can get it through Windows Phone 7 Connector.

An upgrade to Bing Vision will be rolling out within the month of March. This update will bring Bing Image Matching for Newspapers, which allows users to snap a picture or scan newspaper articles. It will then search for a digital equivalent online. It can be used on more than 3,000 publications around the world.

Have you installed Bing Vision on your Windows Phone handset? If so, did you find it useful? Give us your thoughts.